SOLVED: Loose steering wheel play -- is this normal?? (see video)

Is this type of loose steering wheel play normal for a 2004 Tahoe?

  • Yes

    Votes: 2 25.0%
  • No

    Votes: 6 75.0%

  • Total voters
    8

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

OR VietVet

Multnomah Falls
Supporting Member
Military
Joined
Oct 8, 2014
Posts
19,068
Reaction score
31,171
Location
Willamette Valley
Hi. Did this fix your sloppy steering as well? I have changed more or less the same parts as you, and I still have a lot of play.. Wondering if I should do the lower steering shaft next…
Welcome to your first post on the forum. That steering shaft made a big difference on my rig and I literally changed everything else, see my Build Thread.
 

BigDogYJ

Member
Joined
Aug 27, 2018
Posts
34
Reaction score
60
Hi. Did this fix your sloppy steering as well? I have changed more or less the same parts as you, and I still have a lot of play.. Wondering if I should do the lower steering shaft next…
Actually the lower shaft did resolve a rotational clunk feel (not to be confused with the intermediate shaft clunk - usually noticed over bumpy/rough roads), but this lower shaft unfortunately did NOT resolve my sloppy steering. I ended up replacing the Steering gear box and pump with PSC units. Expensive parts but my steering is dialed in perfectly now. Thanks for posting here, forgot to update it myself. I will add I previously installed a "rebuilt" GM AC Delco steering box which solved a few issues but still sloppy. The PSC box resolved all the issues I had that persisted after everything else was replaced. I'm very happy with it. I've had it installed for a little over a year now and probably 12k miles.

Power steering pump: PSC SP1404 (1500/2500/3500)
Steering gearbox: PSC SG039 (for 2500/3500 series only)
 

rockola1971

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2016
Posts
2,376
Reaction score
2,972
Location
Indiana (formerly IL)
The C and K chassis are well known to get super sloppy at the steering gear box once they have a substantial amount of mileage on them. They of course have the lash adjustment that takes out the slop but even it can only fix so much wear and tear on the gear box. The slop comes from engagement between the input and output shafts of the gear box. Once the steering column/shafts are ruled out and they tend to have their own problems as well and can cause slop too then it usually ends up being the gear box.
You get a 200k C or K chassis that has had no front end work done on it you can almost always plan on a full front suspension rebuild (Tie rods, idler and pitman arm, control arm bushings, sway bar bushings, upper and lower ball joints and stablizer link kits) along with a new/reman steering gear box and steering column and shaft parts too. Not too ridiculous if it can be done DIY at home but can really rack up a bill if a shop has to be paid labor and parts markup.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
128,788
Posts
1,805,471
Members
91,771
Latest member
mimi66972
Top